Black Hunter
by Wandering Raccoon
Summary: When Ron woke up and found Sirius Black standing over him in the middle of the night, he was terrified. But what was Sirius thinking?


Black Hunter  
By Skye Dragon  
  
Skye's Rambling Spot: Okay, first Harry Potter fic here. It's not much, just a little Missing-Scene from book three. Actually, it's not even really a missing scene, rather just a certain scene told from a different character's point of view. I did it 'cause it was a monthly challenge from some site. Unfortunately, I found the contest the day AFTER it ended. Sucks, huh? Anyway, I did just for fun, and here it is. The challenge was that the story had to be about book three, and it had to be either a missing-scene, or a scene from a different pov. There was a limit to how long the fic could be, but I don't remember what it was. I probably went over it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. And remember the review!  
  
UPDATE ~ April 11, 2003 ~ nothing big, just edited the story a bit, corrected a few errors. Mostly formatting errors. It should read a bit nicer now. And a big thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. I do believe DragonMaiden has given me the best review I've ever recieved! I mean, it doesn't get any better than someone telling you that your fic could have been written by the author herself! ^_^  
  
UPDATE ~ April 21, 2003 ~ ARG! It was still wrong! I edited AGAIN. Spacing errors this time. Maybe NOW it's right. . .   
  
~ * ~  
  
It seemed to take an appallingly long time for the Gryffindor common room to clear out and become still and quiet. Sirius sighed, he really should have expected it, he reflected. After all, Gryffindor had just beaten Ravenclaw in a most particularly spectacular game. It was only natural that a party was in order. But all the same, Sirius couldn't suppress the wave of impatience that swelled up inside of him.  
  
It was a much welcomed interruption when McGonagall finally charged into the common room to demand that the students all go to bed. The large black dog had no doubt that it was her who was yelling. He could hear her even all the way out on the grounds where he was, watching to see when the light from Gryffindor tower went out. It was well on into the morning when Sirius had the relief of hearing her yells and seeing most of the lights in the bedrooms go out. He waited until the light from the main window, which Sirius knew was the common room, noticeably dimmed.  
  
*'Finally!'*   
  
Rising eagerly to all four paws, he quickly, but carefully, slipped into Hogwarts. It wasn't difficult, as he knew all the secret passages, but Padfoot refrained from using most of them, and took a risk on the most obvious-and more importantly-quickest route. As Fate would have it, Lady Luck was with him that night, and other than Mrs. Norris (who ran at the sight of him) he didn't encounter anyone in the hallways.   
  
Finally, he reached his destination, and came face to face with what should have been the Fat Lady, only, it wasn't. Silently the black dog shifted form and then rose up on it's hind legs, suddenly appearing as a normal human. Sirius quietly regarded the new guardian of Gryffindor tower. It was a knight, Sir Cadogan, Sirius recalled, as a memory of one of his various excursions though the school with his friends rose in the back of his mind.   
  
Sir Cadogan hadn't yet noticed the dirty man staring at him. He was currently occupied by his fat pony, who seemed to be quite insistent on squirming out of his bridle. "Stop that!" He ridiculed the horse, still struggling to get the bridle firmly in place, so he could mount the creature. He was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.  
  
"What?" He whirled to face the intruder. "What villainous scum is this, that dares to challenge me? Come on, you yellow-bellied braggart, we'll see about this!" The knight drew his too-large sword and brandished it threateningly at Sirius.  
  
Had Sirius not been so intent upon his self-appointed mission, he would have laughed. *'So I scared the Fat Lady so badly that she quit?'* Sirius really hadn't wanted to hurt her, but her refusal to let him in had frustrated him. But then, he reflected, it was probably a good thing that she was not still here. She would definitely recognize him and refuse entry again, and never-mind if he knew the password or not.  
  
Sirius stepped closer to the portrait, holding his hands up in the universal sign of peaceful intentions. "Stay, I've not come to duel you."  
  
The knight stopped, or rather, attempted to stop, in mid-swing. Unfortunately the sword was too heavy, and Sir Cadogan suddenly found himself toppled over on the ground as the sword became buried in the dirt. He gave it one swift tug and pulled the sword lose, then looked at Sirius suspiciously. "Then state your business, sir! Know you the password?"  
  
Sirius dropped his hands to the insides of his ragged robes, and pulled out the paper that Crookshanks had delivered to him. "I have them." He told the painted knight, and then proceeded to read the entire list off. "Filthy mongrel , vile rogue, scurvy braggart, comrades-in-arms, stout heart, steely sinew, scurvy cur . . ." The list went on for some time.  
  
When Black had finally finished, he looked up to see Sir Cadogan beaming at him proudly. "Well done, good sir!" He cried, and promptly swung forward on his hinges.   
  
For two seconds, Sirius couldn't believe it had worked. Then he was quick to climb through the opening, and the portrait closed behind him. Sirius jumped at the sound, and froze in his place, waiting to see if anyone would awaken.   
  
But apparently the tower walls were thicker than Sirius remembered, and the party had exhausted all the Gryffindors into a deep sleep anyway.  
  
Moving as silent as a shadow, Black picked his way across the Common Room, which was littered with the remains of the party, and made his way up the stairs to the boy's dormitory. He paused outside the door to the third years' room, once more waiting and listening, but all he heard all was a deafening silence.   
  
So it was, with his heart pounding in his chest, Sirius Black opened the door, and silently slipped into the room. He was met by the sight of five large, familiar, four-poster beds. The hangings were closed on all of them. He could now hear light snores, and a soft mutter as one of the boys dreamed. One of the beds creaked as it's occupant turned over in his sleep.  
  
Sirius was acutely aware of every tiny detail in the room. He could even hear his own blood rushing in his veins, and the adrenaline singing in his system. Slowly he made his way to the nearest bed, and pulled back the hangings just far enough to get a good look at the occupant.   
  
The boy wasn't anyone Sirius knew, and it certainly wasn't the Weasley boy he'd seen in the newspaper. He released his hold on the curtain, and moved on to the next bed. It also did not hold what the supposed murderer was looking for. But the third bed held a surprise.  
  
Black's breath caught in his throat as he looked down at the boy. It was him. His godson.   
  
Harry Potter.   
  
Padfoot pulled the curtain out a little further, allowing a sliver of moonlight in to illuminate the child.  
  
Finally, Black remembered to breathe.  
  
He'd known that Harry was in Hogwarts now, even knew that he would be in his third year, that was how he'd been able to figure out where the boy owning Wormtail would be. But he hadn't given any thought to the fact that he might find Harry like this.  
  
Harry stirred, and Padfoot suddenly froze, but Harry only just turned over in his sleep. He seemed to be caught in a dream. Black watched him, and then suddenly became aware that his hand was hovering just inches over Potter's face. Sirius abruptly called back his traitorous hand. No, he couldn't touch Harry. He couldn't risk waking the boy up.  
  
Sirius gazed at him, trying to imprint every detail in his mind. He'd seen Harry before, of course, but in the alley before school had started, it'd been too dark to see clearly, and every time after that had been from afar.  
  
He sighed, Harry really did look so much like his father. James would have been so proud . . .  
  
Thoughts of his former best friend snapped Sirius out of his daze. Of course, he hadn't come here to watch his godson, he'd come for Wormtail. The traitor.   
  
His anger, having been banished for a moment by surprise, blazed back to life. Sirius had a mission to do. A murder to commit. A mistake to repay.  
  
The curtains on the next bed hung open ever so slightly, and through them the man was able to glimpse a lock of red hair. This bed then . . .  
  
His left hand was trembling from anticipation as he slid open the scarlet bed-hanging, while his other hand silently brought forth a knife from within his ragged robes. Moonlight flooded the bed. This was it, the moment he'd been waiting for. He would finally commit the crime he'd been imprisoned for.   
  
There was the Weasley boy, but where was the rat? He hadn't run from Sirius, had he? *'Damn. Something's happened that stupid cat didn't tell me about.'* Sirius growled deep in his throat in anger, and then froze.  
  
Two eyes had opened and were focused on his face and the knife he held suspended in midair. Sirius saw the absolute panic bloom in the eyes, watched as the mouth opened and could even hear as the lungs drew in a deep breath in preparation for what was coming next . . .  
  
Survival instincts kicked in, and Black whirled away from the bed even as he heard the ear-piercing scream.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
He was across the room and opening the door as a second, different voice chimed in. "What's going on?" The other beds were creaking as the rest of the boys woke at the cry. Sirius slammed the door shut just as he saw the curtains on one of the beds twitch and then were yanked open.  
  
He flew down the dormitory stairs faster than Harry's new Firebolt could have, and literally threw himself out the portrait door, transforming in midair.   
  
He landed on all fours, and didn't even pause to get his balance before he was racing down the hallway and toward the nearest exit.  
  
Padfoot didn't stop until he was in the Forbidden Forest. Only then did he slow, his pink tounge hanging out as he panted for breath, his sides heaving.   
  
He hadn't done it. Wormtail was still alive.  
  
Padfoot threw back his head and unleashed a howl that would have made any Werewolf quiver with jealousy.  
  
*'This isn't over, Peter. I'll get you, so help me God, I'll get you! You'll pay for what you did to James and Lily.'* The black dog snarled in rage at his failure, and took out his anger on a nearby tree, leaving deep gouges with fresh sap running down the pierced bark.  
  
He would be back. And next time, he wouldn't fail.  
  
End  
  
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